As a kid, Freeman made his own musical bones from cow ribs he got
down at the slaughterhouse. His favorite bones included ivory,
rosewood, ebony—and knives.
Freeman Davis became known as Whistling Sam in Long Beach,
California. That's where he worked his shoeshine stand in a barber
shop vestibule. Folks say he would tap dance and pop his shoeshine
rag to popular tunes.
And he could draw a crowd! Word has it he could whistle so loud
that people in cars outside the barber shop would stop to listen—at
least until the police came by to clear the traffic jam.
Although he never achieved great fame, Brother Bones was a gifted
entertainer who perfomed at prominent venues including Carnegie
Hall and The Ed Sullivan Show. He played on stage with eminent
musicians including Woody Herman, Teddy Buckener, Jimmy Lunsford,
and Russ Morgan.
Brother Bones served as a consultant to Bing Crosby in Frank
Capra's Riding High (1950) where Bing plays dinner knives—bones
style. And he even appeared in two feature films: Yes Sir, Mr.
Bones (1951) with Scatman Crothers, and Pot O' Gold (1941) as a
jail chef playing traditional spoons, starring James Stewart.
The greatest legacy of Brother Bones is his 1948 recording of
Sweet Georgia Brown. The tune was adopted in 1952
by the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team as their official theme
song. This version "is probably in the top ten most listened to
recordings in history," reported Steve Wixson, editor of the Rhythm
Bones Player.
Brother Bones died in June 1974 at the age of 71. The Rhythm Bones
Society offered a tribute to Freeman Davis at Bones Fest VI in
2002, which honored the 100th anniversary of his birth. Noted for
playing four bones in each hand, Freeman 'Brother Bones' Davis is
admired among the world community of bone players as a consumate
entertainer who developed into the greatest whistling bones player
of all time.
Near the posted coordinates, lies George W. Brown. Okay, so it's
not quite the same, but hey, it's close. And that's what it
reminded me off when I saw it, so that's what it is. And the cache?
Well, it can be difficult if it's hidden correctly. It can be one
of those that you either just walk right up and find, or if not, it
can turn into one that drives you crazy. HA!
Drives you crazy, get it?